I can’t tell you how often I’m asked, “Jen why are your kids never sick?” or “Jen, what would YOU do with my child?”
Firstly I am not claiming to be, “Mother of the Year” — far from it. I share this with you because as an author of health and parenting books and as a chiropractor, it is not surprising that my approach to nutrition and parenting is incredibly different to the norm. If we consider that most children today have allergies, developmental challenges or are clinically obese — as parents, we need to have a radically different approach to health, don’t you agree?
Secondly let me state that occasionally my boys do indeed get sick but they typically bounce back within a day. So in an effort to answer these questions that I am thrown daily, with this post I’d like to start to explore how we can boost the health of our children.
When it comes to raising healthy children how would a chiropractor and a medical professional proceed?
There are two major differences that exist between the ‘chiropractic wellness’ approach and the ‘medical approach’ to health as each sets a different goal and a different course of action.
Firstly the medical profession views the human body as a conglomerate of chemical and mechanical functions, so that when a health challenge arises doctors look specifically at the problem area and take a “we’ve got to fix it” approach. This might be through eradicating germs which they credit with creating disease or through offering drugs or surgery. The focus being to alleviate symptoms and to address health issues in a disease- oriented model.
Wellness chiropractors see the body as a whole, acknowledging that the body works synergistically together, so that when one area of our body is taxed or compromised other areas can in time, become vulnerable. Most of us are aware that our nervous system controls and co-ordinates every function of the body but we may not appreciate that there a great number of stressors that accompany our modern lifestyle which tax our spine and nervous system.
These lifestyle factors move a body “out of balance” and compromise our health. Chiropractors ask questions like, “ How can we help the body recreate balance and good function?” and “What part of this person’s environment is taxing their health?” Chiropractors take a vitalistic view of the human body, respecting the body’s innate or inner intelligence and adjust the spine to stimulate the body’s natural ability to recreate balance, order and healing. While current health issues are addressed, wellness chiropractors are most excited about helping clients become proactive about all facets of their health.
Ticklish — New Ways to Help Your Child Learn, Love & Play
A good question worth asking at this point is, “How has the current disease-based model of health care (modern medicine) served us collectively?”
Realistically shouldn’t Western cultures should be the healthiest in the world as we:
- Spend the most on healthcare,
- Have the best medical technology at our fingertips.
Wouldn’t it be logical to assume we would be healthier than more impoverished nations?
Well I hate to be “Captain Obvious” but it’s no secret that western health statistics are appalling and reveal a very sobering tale of how we are not so ‘advanced’ after all. Chronic disease, health care budgets and superbugs are all — at an all time high. Clearly, the current disease-oriented health-care system is not serving us or our children very well at all.
While there will always be a place for conventional medicine particularly with emergency and critical care, and there will always be some folk who prefer to take drugs and have surgery, when it comes to setting a new goal for “health and wellness” then wellness chiropractors play an integral role.
I am blessed to work with families all over the world and I know that regardless of their status or title, parents all have a similar goal: they want to raise healthy, happy children. Parents contact me for advice and referrals to wellness chiropractors and other integrative practitioners typically for three main reasons:
- Their child may be perfectly healthy but they are eager for more tips and ideas to secure their health. They know other children who are “really thriving” and they are curious about what to do differently.
- Their child may NOT be autistic or developmentally challenged but this youngster is driving them crazy because they whine and moan all day long. They have a pale complexion with dark shadows under their eyes. They seem tired and listless, they catch every cold and flu in town, they suffer with ear aches and they self-limit their diet and gravitate towards sugar filled tomato sauce sandwiches and packets of potato chips. Most days these parents may feel inclined to sell their child on “ebay” but innately they know there’s something compromising their child’s health. These parents are tired of being given prescriptions or being told that “there’s nothing wrong with your child” or “they’ll grow out of it.”
- Their child may have a particular health issue such as colic, asthma, bed wetting and they’d like assistance or they may be looking for ideas on how to support their child’s brain and nerve development or gut integrity.
I have five important tips for parents to raise the health status of their child that I discuss in my new, easy-to-read eBook: 5 Must-Know Tips For Raising Healthy Kids
- Top Tip: Find an Inspiring, Recommended Wellness Chiropractor
- Conduct an Audit
- Tough Love
- Get Dirty
- Get More Zzzz’s
. . . . .
From the desk of…
Jennifer Barham-Floreani
Bach. Chiropractic, Bach. App Clinical Science
Registered internationally, no longer practicing as a chiropractor in Australia.
